


you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you

by orphan_account



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer
Genre: Americanized!5sos, M/M, The play is "Our Town", There's eventually smut, but Michael is still Australian, high school!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-10-31
Packaged: 2018-04-09 16:46:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4356776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael is the bad boy graffiti artist who gets caught defacing school property and, instead of calling the police, the Principal forces him to use his artistic ability to help the school play.<br/>There he meets Ashton, the set designer with a secret talent for acting. Can Ashton make sure that Michael doesn’t fuck up his chances for graduating? Can Michael make Ashton realize his potential?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Your Lipstick Stain Is a Work of Art

Michael wants to kick his feet up on the principal’s desk, but he just barely restrains himself. It’s definitely bad enough he literally got caught red-handed, but to add being a general prick would probably not end well.

So he just sits there, waiting for Principal Willows to say something after dragging him into the building after being caught by school security just an hour after class ends (not his best idea.)

She stares him down for a bit, and then says, “I’m not calling the cops...” When he exhales in relief, she adds, “Yet.”

There’s another pause so Michael fills it, “‘Yet’?”

“Vandalism is a serious crime, Michael. And I know being a new student, especially for senior year, isn’t easy-” His jaw clenches. “But tagging the theater isn’t the proper response.”

Michael looks down at his hands, covered in red and purple paint (his previous hair colors before he moved and his mom made him dye it to a more natural color for a “good impression”), “But you’re not calling the cops?”

She cocks her head thoughtfully, looking pensive, “Well, that depends on you.”

“On me?” He almost wants to laugh but if he got a record, his mum would kill him.

“I’m going to give you a choice, Michael. Either you clean up your graffiti and work on stage crew for the Fall play, or I call the cops right now.” She rests her hand on the phone on her desk and Michael’s heart races.

He doesn’t know why he keeps repeating her but he says, “Stage crew?”

She removes her hand. “They help the play run.” She says simply, “They run sound, lighting, set design, and cast coordination,” Then she smirks, “I’m sure set design would be up your alley, considering your affinity for art.” She gestures toward him in a non-callous way.

With his tattoos and his three art classes out of eight classes, he could see how she made that assessment. Looks like this school wasn’t as dumbshit as he thought. “I want to get this straight... You won’t call the cops on me if I clean my tag and help the play?”

“A problem with that compromise?” She raises an eyebrow.

“No, I’m just a bit confused.” He says honestly.

“I don’t believe that sending kids to jail or detention for these types of crimes do any good,” Principal Willows says, “I think that giving opportunities to grow rather than to suppress always work out better. And that’s how I choose to run my school.” She reaches for the phone again, “Do you accept my arrangement?”

“Yes. Ma’am. I’ll clean the tag right now.”

“Let me call Felix and have him supervise you,” She grabs the phone, but before she dials she says, “Good choice, Michael.”

+

Michael texts his mom that he’ll be home late again to work on something for school, and all he receives in reply is “Are u lying to me??”

Sighing, he shoves his phone into his jeans’ pocket and walks into the theater. The place is not crowded with people, but they’re all insanely fucking loud and... vibrant. It’s already irritating.

Not nervously, Michael sticks his hands in his jean jacket’s pockets and walks up to the only person who looks like an adult: an older dude with tanned skin and bleached hair. Nice.

He’s talking to a student so Michael just waits awkwardly in the wings. The student is taller than the teacher. Bright blond hair, bright blue eyes, bright tannish skin, and he’s honestly just kind of bright and pretty. Michael might hit on him later, but he likes his guys a bit more rugged. And shorter than him. But the blond part works for him. Since he might as well, he eavesdrops on the conversation, but it seems to be about sound mixing and Michael’s interest is immediately lost.

Eventually, the teacher finally turns to him. “Hey there, you seem new. I’m Mr. Feldmann but you can call me ‘Feldy’ if you want.” He extends his hand for a handshake. Michael may be a reject but he’s not rude so he shakes his hand.

Feldy keeps the hand in his grasp and looks at the paint that’s still stained on his fingers and one of his favorite tattoos, “Ah. You must be Mr. Clifford, the boy who vandalized our theater.” The old guy looks him in the eye but Michael just levels the look. “I don’t take kindly to people who disrespect the arts.” He drops his hand like it burns.

Michael exhales and runs the hand that was just dropped through his nutella brown hair, “Look... Feldy, I wasn’t targeting or disrespecting, your theater. I’ve been here two weeks and had no f- idea where anything is. I just tagged the building that seemed secluded. Obviously didn’t work.” He shoves his hands in his pockets again. “I really don’t want a record and, honestly, I like art so I won’t sabotage your play. Promise.”

“How good is your word?” As Michael tries to think of a good response, he notices that everyone is staring at them. At him. And he tries not to show it bothers him, especially since he has no idea how much they could’ve heard.

“If I personally fuck up your show, you can shave my head and have Principal Willows call the cops on me.”

Feldy’s eyes look up at his hair, then at his general face, then back down at his eyes for their staring contest. “Sounds like a deal.”

Michael sits off to the side a bit when Feldy starts his speech. “Alright Thespians, let’s get this started. Since there are no... more new faces in the crowd since last time,” Everyone looks at Michael. Michael keeps his face bored. “I’ll skip the long, standard intros. I’m Feldy. I’m in charge of most of everyone. But here are the main seniors who’ll be in charge of most of the rest we'll be doing.”

Four people stand and move to the floor in front of the stage. There’s the Tall Blond he saw earlier, an equally-tall guy with black hair, tattoos and blond streaks holding a clipboard, a very tiny, petite dark blonde girl, and a taller but not as tall blond guy who is most certainly Michael’s type. Like, _holy fucking shit_ his arms.

“Luke, go ahead and start.”

“Alright then. I’m Luke Hemmings. I’m an actor and also Head Sound Tech. If you’re interested in helping out with stuff like mic packs and sound engineering, I’m always free to talk about that stuff,” He smiles and waves.

Michael resists the urge to scoff at the enthusiasm and just sinks back in his seat a bit more.

The black-haired guy starts next, “Hey there, I’m Calum Hood. I’m also an actor, but I’m also the cast coordinator. Which means that as soon as we figure out who’s who, I’ll be like your babysitter.” He waggles his eyebrows once and everyone but Michael laughs.

He gestures to the only girl, and she smiles while bouncing a bit, “Hi! I’m Jade Thirlwall, and I am an actress and costume designer. I make sure you all look rad af on stage.”

The last guy waves a bit, and Michael notices he’s blushing, “Umm, hey. I’m Ashton Irwin. I’m in charge of set design.” And that’s apparently it.

Feldy claps, drawing attention back to him. “Okay, let’s start the casting process!”

Oh fuck.


	2. I'm Loving What You Got, But Then You Push Me Off

“If you’re going to audition, please go stand backstage so Calum can get your names, first come first serve for auditions-” Everyone but Michael and Ashton immediately clamor towards Calum, who just laughs and holds the clipboard above his head like he’s trying to save it from drowning.

“Alright, alright, line up over here!” He directs as Luke and Jade maneuver so they’re first in line, but Feldy is too busy on his laptop already, sitting off to the side, to notice.

Michael watches, casually, as Ashton moves carefully around the crowd and sits in the row in front of him, just a couple chairs horizontally away.

They sit in slight silence for a bit, and Michael asks, “Why aren’t you auditioning?”

Ashton jumps a bit, and turns around. He looks a bit scared of him for a second, then says, “Why aren’t you?”

Michael raises an eyebrow, “I’m just here to do art, mate.” Just to be a prick, he does jazz hands, unintentionally revealing the paint that’s still on his fucking hands.

“Ahh, I get it,” The blond says, shaking his head with a sardonic smile on his face, probably recognizing him as ‘The Vandal’, “You’re an asshole.”

“You’re right but that’s not why I’m here.”

Ashton looks like he doesn’t believe him and he just turns away.

“Oi, you didn’t answer my question. Even though I asked first,” He says, purposefully cocky since Ashton already seems to have that opinion on him.

Hunky Arms turns back around, “I- I want to focus on the set.”

Pushing his buttons just seems really fun, so Michael keeps going, “I mean, is it really that hard? Because all the things those guys do seem hard as well, but they’re still acting-”

“Look, I bet you’re getting off on this, but knock it off.”

Michael’s oddly pleased by that reaction, “What do you know about getting me off?”

The blush is back, but Ashton just turns around and does a good job of pretending that Michael doesn’t exist.

Since everyone is getting set up with Calum and Ashton’s now ignoring him, Michael gets up and walks over to Feldy.

“So how does this work?”

Feldy looks up and raises an eyebrow at him, “Acting?”

“No I mean this whole process. Like who does what and all that stuff.”

Feldy closes his laptop lid, “Since our program is small and under-funded, students have two work double duty. So they’re usually actors _and_ doing a second job, like costumes or props. We covered the second jobs yesterday. Don’t worry, lucky for you Principal Willows vouched for your creative talent” That’s not something Michael expected to hear “And the set design crew is usually pretty small, so I put you there.”

Michael resists the urge to smirk. “Sounds good, mate.”

“Anything else?”

“Nah. I don’t have to audition right? Because if I did, I’d certainly fuck up the play, and I love my hair too much for that.”

Feldy snorts, acknowledging the joke. “No, but I do have to put you somewhere else. What are you good at?”

“I’m fairly good at applying eyeliner.”

“Great. You can work with Jade on makeup if she needs you. Is that all?”

“Sure.”

Michael goes and sits back down. This might actually be fun.

Auditions were limited to a minute each, so thirty minutes later all the auditions are done and they’re all told by Feldy for their official groups. Michael wishes he could see Ashton’s face when he hears him say his name as part of his group.

Feldy releases them all to get into groups, so Michael walks over to Ashton’s seat along with a dude with blue hair and tattoos and a girl with wavy dark hair and tattoos.

Michael’s quite impressed with the amount of students here with tattoos. Chalk that up with another thing that surprises him about this school.

Ashton reluctantly looks at Michael, “Well, for the new kid’s sake, I’ll introduce everyone. I’m Ashton, head set designer. I’m in charge of layout, planning, and basic concepts.” He says this quickly, like he expects Michael to not understand, but he does because he’s not a complete idiot, “This is Alex, he’s in charge of building construction. And this is Jesy, she’s in charge of details and working with the props people.” Ashton turns back to Michael and raises his eyebrow. “What can you do?”

For the sake of Alex and Jesy, who seem more receptive to him than Ashton does, Michael says, “I’m Michael, I’m new, and I’m fairly decent at painting, so I can help with that.”

“He’s also the guy who tagged the theater.” Ashton rats him out, causing Michael to narrow his eyes at him.

“I’m also the guy who cleaned it up,” Michael offers, causing Alex to snort. “I wasn’t targeting the theater. But that probably doesn’t matter to you.”

Alex and Jesy shrug, like bygones are bygones. Ashton’s face remains hardened.

“So.” Michael leans back in the hard-as-dick chairs of the auditorium, “What’s a paintbrush?”

+

Michael returns home, tossing his keys into the key bowl by the front door his mom thinks “adds ambiance” when he notices her walking into the room, not pleased.

“I told you where I was going to be.”

“Yes, but at a _theater_ , Michael? One you just spray-painted? I’m not an idiot. Show me your hands.”

Obligingly, since for once he was not at fault when she suspected him, he holds out his hands palms up, “It’s the paint from yesterday.”

She looks at his hands then drops them. “There’s no new paint.”

“Told you.”

She gives him a look at his sass, “So what’s this with the play?”

After he explains the situation, she noticeably deflates in relief, “Thank God, you have this opportunity, Michael Gordon.” He winces at his full name, seriously why did his parents make him out to be such a nerd? “Take this seriously.”

“Promise.”

She raises an eyebrow. And he huffs and repeats, “Promise!”

“Good.” She suddenly deflates, “Mike, I know the move’s been hard-”

“I really don’t want to talk about it.” He scratches at his arm, suddenly itchy.

She studies him, then says, “Wanna get pizza?”

He grins, “Sure.”

+

Later that night, he’s scrolling Facebook on his phone while in bed, and suddenly sees a bunch of new friend requests.

Jesy Nelson. Alex Gaskarth. Calum Hood. Luke Hemmings. Jade Thirlwall. And a bunch of other people he vaguely remembers seeing in passing. (But, he notices, not Ashton.)

As soon as he accepts Calum’s requests, he gets another notification. He’s been invited to join the group “Pleasant Hill High School’s Stage Crew: Fall Production of Our Town.”

Long name, but whatever. He accepts, because he might as well take this seriously for his mom’s sake.

Before he loses the nerve, or maybe the ignorant impulse, he adds Ashton as a friend on Facebook.

He can’t help but smirk before shutting his phone off. It’ll be fun to see how Ashton reacts to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, and I hoped you enjoyed!!


	3. I'm Pretty Sure That We're Halfway There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Michael’s seen High School Musical; he knows how Americans perceive theater people."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some violence in this chapter!

It’s been an official two weeks of being on stage crew, and Michael won’t admit it, but he’s having a blast. He’s creating without being destructive, meeting people who are weird and tattooed and awesome, and annoying Ashton at every possible turn.

Since Hunky Arms is in charge of him, Michael spent the first four after-school run-throughs (which started immediately after the cast was announced) asking the dumbest questions he could think of over and over. “How do you work this?” (paint can) “What happens when you mix purple with purple?” and even, “Want me to make this blue like your eyes?” (Even though he totally knew Ashton’s eyes were hazelly brown and not blue at all.)

Ashton, like a total tool, just calmly but tensely explained everything to him like he was a three-year-old. Which is technically fair because that’s what Michael was going for. But still, he kind of wants Ashton to explode or yell at him or something.

Deciding that being aggressively annoying wasn’t working, Michael’s decided that for this week he’s going to start being super bubbly and friendly to all of Ashton’s friends. Thanks to careful observation, he’s figured out that’s Luke, the sound tech, and Calum, the cast coordinator. And they seem cool enough.

The seniors that have been around for a while, on a rotation, get to play music that’s at least “semi-appropriate.” Calum and Luke play a lot of pop punk and rock, which is right up his alley.

Ashton is busy discussing plans and layout with Feldy and Michael has nothing to do, so he walks over to where Calum and Luke are studying the script. Calum was cast as the second male lead, George, and Luke was cast as Wally, a minor role but he probably needs to focus on the other actors more.

“Hey,” Michael greets, standing before where they’re sitting in front of a shared script.

They glance up at him. Luke is hesitant but friendly in his look, but Calum looks a bit skeptic of Michael’s motives.

Or maybe he’s reading too much into it.

“I really like your guys’ music choices,” He says, “It was a nice reprieve from all the Nicki that Leigh-Anne and Jade keep playing.”

Luke brightens a bit, “Thanks, they usually complain it’s too heavy-” Calum elbows Luke in the side.

“It was fun to paint to. I’ve always wanted to see Sleeping With Sirens but they never come to Australia.”

“We went to see them last summer, it was fucking rad,” Luke says. “They even had PTV with them and they sang ‘King for a Day.’”

“God, that’s such an awesome collab, how was it live?”

Calum answers this time, hesitantly smiling, “Pretty fucking amazing.”

So, for the entire rehearsal, Michael talks music with Ashton’s best friends. At first, he occasionally looks over to see if Ashton is watching while seething with jealousy (he isn’t) but then he gets really into the conversation with Calum and Luke. 

+

It’s been a week since Operation: Befriend Ashton’s Friends was implemented and it’s going really well. Ashton has definitely noticed the camaraderie with almost all of his friends (Michael works fast) and doesn’t seem too happy, but he can cover it well.

Michael’s helping Alex build a ladder that’s safe and pure wooden when Alex asks him to grab some new wood from the back. “Sure, mate,” Michael grins, because he knows where everything is now and that makes him feel special. He’s never been a “joiner” so it’s cool that he’s actually made friends and has learned things.

He’s going in the back storage place (that maybe he doesn’t know the name of, don’t judge him) when he hears Ashton’s distinct voice.

“I just don’t get it, he attacked the fucking theater!”

“He spray-painted the outside, Ash,” That’s Calum’s voice. “Plus, he’s said a billion times that he wasn’t targeting it or us.”

“Even if that’s true, he’s still an asshole. He’s done nothing but dick with me for the past month, and now you’re buddy-buddy with him? He doesn’t belong here, and he obviously doesn’t want to be here. He’s _talentless_ and annoying as hell. We don’t need him or his bullshit spray paint backstory. I don’t know why you guys think he’s so fantastic-”

“He’s really funny and he’s not talentless-” Luke starts to say but then Michael accidentally makes himself known by tripping over a stack of 2x4s on the way to the scrap wood.

Immediately, they all look over from the corner they were huddled in. Ashton’s eyes go wide, Luke gapes, and Calum winces.

Without a word, Michael grabs the wood and leaves.

+

Michael’s sweeping the wood shavings into a dust pan when someone clears their throat behind them.

“Hey,” Ashton says, stepping into view when Michael doesn’t turn around. “I’m sorry you heard that.”

Michael raises his pierced eyebrow but says nothing.

Ashton obviously waits for him to say something, so Michael does.

“That was the bullshittiest apology I’ve ever received. You’re sorry that I heard you talking shit about me to my friends? You’re the dick, even though you may not be as annoying as I am. Since I’m obviously just here for the fucking principal, let me do my work then I’ll get out of here. Got it?”

Ashton opens his mouth to say something, decides against it, then walks away.

+

Michael’s seen _High School Musical_ ; he knows how Americans perceive theater people. But even though people had obviously found out that Michael was the graffiti artist who vandalized the theater and that’s why he’d been doing stage crew stuff, none of the obvious jocks had come after him.

He likes to think it’s because he looks dangerous. Black and blue hair (he finally dyed it again), eyebrow piercing, tattoos that he keeps visible during school hours while the other kids hide them, and just a general “don’t-fuck-with-me-I’m-the-badass-new-kid” vibe he tries to give.

He’s walking from the English hall to the theater outside the building a couple days after he tells off Ashton, when he hears a blow land, and a loud grunt.

Confused, he follows the noise and sees a group of four kids wearing varsity jackets (how cliche) surrounding a blonde quiff.

Fuck, that’s Luke.

“Stupid fucking dork,” One hisses and Michael sees Luke fall to the ground on his hands and knees.

Shit.

“Hey, fuck off!” Michael runs and grabs one of the closest guys and yanks him away. The guy falls and suddenly he’s spun around and punched in the face by someone else. Michael loses sight for a second when everything goes blurry so he finds the closest body and tackles them down, punching them in the face as soon as he has a clear shot.

“Luke, little help,” He says to the blonde still on the ground. Thanks to the distraction, another kid pushes him off his friend and punches him in the cheek, shoving him to the ground. God, that hurt like a motherfucker.

“Got it,” Luke stands, shakily, and grabs the nearest one and elbows them across the face.

Michael rolls him and the guy on top of him over so he’s now on top of him and punches him again.

Time gets weird after that, and he’s not sure how many punches he lands or takes.

“Hey!” Someone far off shouts and they all stop and see it’s the security guard, Felix.

Fuck.

+

Next thing Michael knows, he’s sitting with Luke, four jocks, and Principal Willows in her office. Because that’s how his life goes. Luckily, he’s able to ice his wounds (bleeding but fortunately not broken nose, bruised cheek, sore but not broken ribs and swollen eye.) Luke doesn’t look so good either: a cut in his eyebrow, busted lip, and bruises on his cheek and eye too. The other guys at least look just as bad. Michael broke one of their noses’ and Luke definitely bruised at least three eyes, along with other injuries. Plus, all of their hands are covered in bruises and cuts from the punching.

The jocks tell some pathetic sob story how the two losers target them when they were trying to walk to practice, and Michael smirks to himself when he sees the look of disbelief on Willows’ face.

She then turns over to him and Luke. Luke is looking at his hands, so Michael speaks up, “These guys were ganging up on Luke, so I decided to try to even it out a little.”

Luke decides to interject, “Principal Willows, I promise Michael didn’t start anything, don’t expel him or call the cops, he was just trying to help me.”

The four jocks all scoff in unison but Willows nods.

“I believe you, Luke-”

“Are you kidding?” One of the guys starts but she silences him with a harsh look.

“You really expect me to believe _these two_ targeted _you_? Besides, Luke is an honor student and his mother is a teacher here; he wouldn’t lie.”

Luke winces.

“Michael, Luke, no punishment since it was self defense. But you can bet I’m calling your parents.” She points at Michael, then at the jocks, then looks back at Michael and Luke, “You’re free to go to rehearsals now.”

They both stand and leave and as soon as they do, Luke turns to Michael and says, “You didn’t have to do that.”

Michael studies him for a second, then slings an arm around his shoulders, “Of course I didn’t. C’mon, they’re probably wondering where you are.” So, together, they walk back to the theater.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this one! Sorry I left you with a slight cliffhanger, but let me know what you thought!


	4. Here's To Teenage Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke snorts, “I’d high-five you in the name of ‘bro-solidarity’ but our hands look awful.”

“OH GOD EW!” is the first thing they hear when they enter the auditorium and step onto the stage where everyone is working. It was probably Perrie or Leigh-Anne, because they’re both now covering their mouths with their hands.

“What the fuck happened?” Calum and Ashton come storming over, checking Luke out.

Luke waves them all off, “The football dicks were in full force, but Michael helped me out.”

Everyone is looking at him, mixed looks of shock and confusion. “What?” He says, harshly, like he’s not allowed to be a decent person?

“You helped Luke?”

“Yeah, he’s my friend.” Michael shrugs and Luke grins. “Besides, it was four against one, that’s just fucking cruel. So I evened it out for a bro.” He attempts an American accent. Poorly.

Luke snorts, “I’d high-five you in the name of ‘bro-solidarity’ but our hands look awful.”

Michael watches as everyone looks at their hands.

Not to brag, but Michael’s are way worse off than Luke’s.

“Thrilling story, but we should really get back on schedule,” Feldy says, so everyone disperses. As Michael goes to work on the second ladder with Alex, he notices people still staring at them.

Slightly perturbed, he rolls his shoulders and focuses on Alex, “So, what’s up today?”

They have to make the second ladder (a prop but one that requires massive safety stuff) and they’re seeing if they need to rework any of the designs from the previous one when Calum comes up to them. “Hey Alex, can I borrow Mike for a second?”

Alex eyes them both, and Michael (hopefully) doesn’t change his facial expression much. “Yeah sure. Have him back in one piece, poor ‘mate’s’ already bloodied and bruised.”

Michael flips Alex off light-heartedly and follows Calum to the hallway between the stage left exit and the choir room where the actors will hang out when they’re not on stage or running around.

+

Expecting to be alone, he’s taken aback when Calum leads him to stand with Ashton, who’s pacing. He tries not to pay attention to the way the black t-shirt that says “Pleasant Hill High Stage Crew Fall 2014” clings to his torso and his biceps because that doesn’t help the fact he hates him.

“What, you guys next?” Michael waves a hand in front of his face.

Ashton stops pacing, also taken aback by Michael.

Michael glares at Calum, because if this is a surprise set-up to get them on good terms then he’s not afraid to kick some more ass but then Ashton immediately relaxes, even if only slightly.

“We wanted to talk to you,” Calum says as Michael turns down the glare.

“About what?” Michael asks and, since he feels uncomfortable, he adds in a sarcastic couldn’t-care-less tone, “Am I in trouble?”

“The opposite, actually,” Ashton says, which surprises him.

“Those assholes have been attacking and bullying Luke since we were in middle school,” Calum says, crossing his arms, “We’ve tried to get them to stop but-”

“We’re not that intimidating,” Ashton shrugs, finishing the sentence. “I mean, Luke took up boxing to try to get them to stop, and Cal the soccer god and I have tried-”

“Have you tried being violent?” Michael offers, “That seems to work.”

They share a look, taking what he says 100% seriously rather than the 69% seriously that he intended, and both nod at each other.

“I have kid siblings, getting into fights would be a bad influence,” Ashton explains, but definitely looks like he thought about it, which does not turn Michael on a bit.

“My mom would kill me if I came home with bruises. Plus, look at this face,” Calum gestures to his face dramatically. Michael rolls his eyes as Ashton half-heartedly smacks him in the face. He yelps, “Don’t damage the merchandise!”

“So why’d you guys bring me out here?” Michael interjects in their little spat, because he probably should head back to Alex. Plus, he doesn’t want to spend any more time around Ashton than he has to.

“We wanted to say thank you.” Ashton says, barely looking him in the eye.

Calum continues, “Not a lot of people look out for Luke, especially like that. So we wanted to say, as his best friends, that we appreciate it.”

“And we know he does too,” Ashton says earnestly.

They stand in silence for a bit. Michael scratches his arm as their eyes all flick around each other.

“Well,” Calum claps his hands together, “I have to go coordinate the, uh, cast.”

He then disappears through the same door he lead them through.

Since this was pretty much over, Michael goes to leave but then Ashton quietly speaks up, “I’m sorry about what I said.”

Michael turns back around, and then decides he won’t make this easy. “For thanking me for protecting Luke?”

Ashton sighs, “No, about me calling you talentless and stuff. I really am sorry; I shouldn’t have said any of that stuff, and I’m sorry my apology was shit, before.”

Michael looks back through the door. No one is looking at them, so Ashton’s probably not put up to it, so he says, “Thanks.”

Ashton takes a deep breath and finally looks him in the eye, “Do you think we could be friends?”

Michael debates internally how to respond without being too much a dick, “I think we could be, yeah,” He offers, and Ashton smiles, immediately relaxing.

“Awesome. C’mon, let’s get back. Ladders don’t build themselves.”

“Already putting me to work? Slave driver.”

Ashton laughs and shoves him and Michael shoves him back as they walk back into the room, chuckling together.

+

Michael looks over at his mum, who nicely dropped him off (he hasn’t been able to get a license yet and he doesn’t see the point now), “They’re complete and utter nerds, you don’t have anything to worry about.” He reminds her when he catches her staring at him for the billionth time in the ten-minute car ride.

“I’m not worried about them... I’m just proud of you.”

“Mum-” He makes a face because she looks like she’s about to cry and that always makes him uncomfortable.

“Back in Aus, you used to illegally paint buildings and get into fights for no reason, and now you’re being artistic with a purpose with people who are passionate and you’re willing to defend them and I’m just so proud-” She tears up.

Not knowing what else to do, he just reaches over and squeezes her hand, “You’re embarrassing me.”

“Oh shove off.” She wipes at her eyes, smiling and shaking her head. “Go have fun.”

“I will.” He gets out, “I’ll text you.”

+

An hour later, he’s on the ground, laughing hysterically, while he watches Calum pout at him, with Luke and Ashton also laughing hysterically but on the sofa.

“You fucking cheated.”

“How do you cheat at DDR?” Michael asks, shit-eating grin on his face.

“There’s probably some Australian way that hasn’t made it to America yet.”

“You cracked the code,” Michael says sarcastically as he stands and rights himself. When he does, he flops backwards and sits next to Luke on the sofa. “How’d your parents react with the news?” He looks at Luke’s beat up face, less obvious now that around a week has passed, but you can still see some of the wounds.

Luke grimaces, “My mom was pretty worried. My dad and brothers gave me shit. They’re all planning on throwing you a massive party to thank you for helping me.”

“Let them know I like pizza.”

Luke snorts, as the other guys laugh, “Duly noted.”

There’s a comfortable silence, so Michael says, “Thanks for inviting me. This is awesome. This is what you do every Friday night?”

Ashton shrugs, “Not this specifically. Sometimes we go to the movies.”

“Or play other video games,” Calum adds.

“If it’s warm, we go outside,” Luke says while grabbing some chips in the bowl. “Otherwise, inside all the way.”

“Obviously.”

“Ugh, I’m bored after-”

“Getting your ass kicked?”

“Shut up. I’m bored now that the games are done” Calum says pointedly after Michael interrupted him, “Let’s watch a movie.”

“Sure” “Sounds good” “All right.” are voiced, until they all start bickering on what to watch.

As he explains why _High School Musical_ is a cinema masterpiece, he can’t help but feel like this... is the start of something new.

+

Later when his mum has picked him up, he checks his Facebook for boredom reasons when he sees a new notification.

_Ashton Irwin has accepted your friend request._

He smirks to himself as he stuffs his phone in his pocket. Took him long enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy!


	5. Just Turn Around and Forget What You Saw

The whole being-friends-with-Ashton thing is weirding him out. Not necessarily in a bad way, just in a new way. They talk more, laugh more, and they have a lot of stuff in common. They like the same music, watch the same TV shows, and even like some of the same movies. It’s rad.

Plus, it’s gotten him closer to everybody in stage crew in general. Not that people were rude before, it’s just now a dam of niceness has flooded. Party invites, people talking to him before, during, and after rehearsals, and people to sit with during lunch.

After two months of being involved, he’s finally starting to feel accepted.

+

He runs to the auditorium, cursing his asshole of a last period teacher for dragging the class long. He hates being late to rehearsals and decides to take the back way to save time.

The door is open so he runs in but slows to a stop when he hears someone talking.

“Y’know- Babylon once had two million people in it, and all we know about ‘em is the names of the kings and some copies of wheat contracts... and contracts for the sale of slaves. Yet every night all those families sat down to supper and the father came home from his work-”

As Michael enters the theater, he notices it’s Ashton talking, and that Ashton’s the only one on stage.

From faint recollections while eavesdropping on rehearsals, he notices this as one of the Stage Manager’s speeches. And Ashton sounds so pure and realistic saying it, just so casual like he’s just babbling on to a friend. Not reciting lines he’s not supposed to know.

“The day’s running down like a tired clock-”

Because he’s an asshole, Michael interrupts, “Hey, where is everyone?”

Ashton jumps, drops a screwdriver, and spins around, only partially relaxing when he recognizes the pink-haired being that is Michael (Perrie and him had a bet about the play’s progress and the loser had to dye their hair pink. Needless to say, he overestimated them a bit). “Wh-what?”

“Where is everyone?” He pauses, “I just got here so-”

Ashton definitely relaxes now. “Oh. Yeah. Um, Feldy delayed rehearsals so everyone else is getting fro-yo off campus.”

“Bastards.” He looks at his phone and sees lots of texts and notifications inviting him along. Damn him for being such a good student and keeping his phone on silent. “Why are you here?”

“I figured Jesy and Alex needed a break, so I took over for the stuff we needed to work on- How long were you here?” He tries for casual and completely misses.

Michael considers sparing him, but Ashton was way too talented, “Since ‘y’know, Babylon.’ Mate you are _really_ good-”

Ashton’s too busy turning pale white to notice so Michael steps closer and forces eye contact, “Seriously, you were great. Way better than the deadass they cast as Stage Manager.”

He finally reacts, and it’s to give Michael a sarcastic look, “Emmett Isaac? The guy who’s been a lead in every Pleasant Hill production since sophomore year?”

“You have to remember, I’m new.”

Ashton rolls his eyes, “I am not better than Emmett.”

“Yes you are. He’s too worried about college shit and is just phoning this in. It’s fucking obvious. You have talent and passion for the character.”

Ash violently shakes his head, “Dude, you don’t get it. I don’t act.”

“Then why do you know all the lines?”

Ashton goes from pale as a sheet to red as a tomato, “I dunno, I pay attention.”

Michael rolls his eyes, “Why didn’t you audition?” 

“I didn’t want to.” He’s so clearly trying to divert the subject but Michael’s not letting him.

“Why didn’t you want to?”

“I have fucking stage fright!” Ashton finally bursts out. “God, stop talking about it.”

“Ash-” Michael immediately feels awful at how furious and embarrassed Ashton looks.

“Just shut the fuck up” He interrupts, flailing his hands out definitively. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Michael lets silence hang for a bit before he says, “I’m sorry.”

Ashton rubs the back of his neck and exhales. “I’m sorry-”

They both go to speak but then the front doors swing open. They both jump in surprise at the loud noise “Sup bitches!” Calum says, carrying two froyo cups in each hand.

Michael sends a look Ashton’s way, but Ashton’s stubbornly looking at the doors, where everybody’s piling in. “You better have gotten me one of those.”

“No, they’re all for me,” Calum shakes his head, “Idiot.”

Since Ashton obviously doesn’t want to talk about it, Michael walks off to go work on the platforms. At least those he understands.

+

As things are wrapping up at rehearsal and people are piling out, someone taps him on the shoulder and he gets an odd case of deja vu.

“Can we talk for a second?”

Sighing, Michael doesn’t say a word as he leads him and Ashton out in a secluded part of the hallway. “What?” 

“Don’t tell anyone about the fact I’ve memorized all the lines of stage manager or- whatever. Please don’t.”

“Why?”

“Why don’t tell anyone?”

“No, why memorize all the lines if you’re not going to do anything about it?”

Ashton looks so uncomfortable, but he does answer, “It’s something I’ve done since I was a freshman: I find a character I really like in whatever production we’re doing and then I memorize their lines.”

“Then why don’t you audition?”

“I’ve had stage fright ever since-” He cuts himself off, “A while. But I like acting, I just hate people watching it, so I memorize the lines for fun.

Michael cocks his head at him, “‘Kay, then.” He goes to leave but then

Ashton grabs his elbow, “Ow, what-”

“Don’t tell anyone. Please.”

Michael nods, “I won’t say a word.”

+

About a week after Michael caught Ashton being the Stage Manager and two months before opening night, things with the play started going wrong.

Horribly wrong.

They were behind schedule in almost everything, lines weren’t being properly memorized, things weren’t being properly rehearsed, and the wrong props and costumes were ordered.

At least four times per rehearsal, someone went up to Feldy and bitched about something going wrong. Michael could have sworn his hair was getting greyer.

Then, the week before Halloween, everything goes to shit.

Michael and Alex are constructing the front church wall to be easily rolled out when all of a sudden, in the back of the auditorium, Feldy shouts, “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?”

Everyone looks up and over to see Emmett cringing, “Feldy-”

“I told you that if you were going to be the lead, you had to warn me of all conflicts! And now you can’t make it to any of the shows!?” There are veins in his forehead and Michael is legit scared even though he’s like 20 meters away.

“I got an opportunity-”

“I can’t deal with this right now, Isaac, I’m so furious. Get out of my rehearsal.”

“But-”

“Now.” His voice cold as ice and, if this were a cartoon, Michael would still be seeing steam out of his ears.

Wordlessly, Emmett leaves the auditorium. Michael looks over at his friends for their reactions. Luke’s dropped his jaw. Calum is seething. Ashton has completely froze. Jade is rubbing her temples. Alex is biting his lip, seemingly to not laugh. Jesy’s making an “oh shit!” face. Everyone looks completely shocked and terrified and nervous.

Feldy storms down, muttering loud enough for everyone to hear, “Fuck, what are we gonna do without a lead and no understudies?”

With the lack of resources, there are no understudies in Pleasant Hill productions. Apparently, this has never been a problem before.

Feldy looks so angry and everyone looks terrified so, without thinking, Michael says, “Ashton can do it.”

Everyone whips their head around.

Shit, he said that out loud.


	6. I Don't Want to Stay, Wanna Run Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now he’s rambling, “I mean, what would happen if the play is canceled? I’m too pretty for jail, Ash-”  
> “You were worried about the play?” Ashton interrupts, head cocked and face soft.   
> Michael huffs, “No, I was worried about myself. Look at my face.”  
> “You were worried about the play,” Ash repeats, smiling softly.

“Michael, no.” Ashton says, glaring at him from across the stage, stomping over to where Michael is on stage left.

Feldy ignores him and focuses on Michael. And since he still looks pissed, Michael is scared of him so he answers completely honestly while standing at attention because even though he’s older and shorter than Michael, he’s scared, “Ashton knows all the lines for Stage Manager. He could do it-”

“ _Michael_ -” Ashton’s voice breaks.

“Ashton, can you do it?” Everyone looks over at Ashton, who starts turning beet red again. This time, though, it looks like a mix of embarrassment and anger.

“I can’t fucking believe you, Michael, what the hell?” Ashton shouts at him, right in his face.

“I-”

“I trusted you! God, you’re such an asshole!”

Michael wants to feel angry. He wants to look indifferent or like he has no idea why Ashton is yelling at him. But too late for that. Without a word, he leaves the auditorium.

+

His mum, when he fills her in, is surprisingly on his side. So the week of Halloween, she calls him in sick since Michael’s too depressed and embarrassed to deal with school. Luckily, everything’s online so he does his assignments on time and well enough.

He doesn’t go to rehearsals either. He doesn’t care how the play goes and he doesn’t care if Principal Willows calls the cops. Besides, he doesn’t think he’s welcome anymore.

He’s playing some bullshit game on his phone from 2013 when his door bursts open, and he’s surprised to see Luke, Calum, Jade and Jesy barging into his room.

“Ugh, it’s so dark in here,” Jade scrunches her nose and walks over to fling open his curtains.

Michael winces at the light, “What the fuck are you guys doing here?”

“You’re coming out with us,” Calum says.

In the light, he can see they’re all wearing costumes. Luke and Calum are Mario and Luigi, Jesy is a vampire, and Jade is Mystique from _X-Men_ (which would do something to him if he wasn’t gay.) “Coming where? And no I am not.”

“Alex is throwing a party since his parents are out, and you’re coming with.” Luke says, but not as sternly as Calum.

“I’m not invited,” Michael says, throwing a pillow over his head and hoping they go away.

Alas, Jesy tugs it out of his grip, “Yes you are.”

“Ashton doesn’t want me there.”

“That’s true-” Luke says and Calum elbows him.

“Yeah, Ashton doesn’t want you there, but we all miss you!” Jade says, smiling sweetly. “And c’mon, who doesn’t love Halloween?”

Michael lets out a long groan, “I’m not wearing a costume,” He says like a stubborn toddler.

“Yes you are,” Jesy says, “C’mon, you have five minutes or we’re yanking down the blankets and posting pictures on the internet.”

Michael glares, and Jesy smirks.

“Fine, five minutes. Be down.”

“Good.”

Sighing as soon as they’re gone, Michael throws on a white shirt and jeans and his leather jacket and his clunky boots since it’s actually cold here around Halloween.

They all tilt their heads at him when he descends the stairs, bones and muscles creaky from limited use, “What the hell are you?” Jade and Luke asks.

“James Dean” Michael says the first name he thinks of.

“Slick your hair back,” Jade frowns, like he’s not committed enough.

“No.”

“Fine, whatever, c’mon we gotta get going if we want to be fashionably late.”

+

Michael has never been to Alex’s house before, and it probably looks different without all the drunken teenagers and loud dubstep. But it’s still pretty nice.

The door is open, since a couple making out like their tongues are velcroed together are propping it against the wall, so they just walk in.

“Alcohol is in the kitchen,” Calum slaps him on the back and starts leading him. Suddenly, he grabs him by the jacket and shouts, “NOW!” over the music.

“Cal, what the fuck-”

Meanwhile, he looks over and sees Luke and Jade manhandling Ashton and Jesy is throwing open the door and now he’s in the closet (insert gay joke here). With Ashton.

He looks over at how damn uncomfortable Ashton looks, and decides that he doesn’t need this shit.

“Let us the fuck out of here!” Michael smacks the door hard enough to reverberate but it’s still locked.

“No!” Luke shouts. “Sort this out right now!”

Knowing they aren’t going to be released anytime soon, they both reluctantly get comfortable. Michael sits on the floor against the door and Ashton pulls a plastic bin from under some coats (Michael does not stare at the way his muscles ripple as he does this) and sits down on top.

Cringing, Michael sighs and says, “I’m sorry for breaking the promise. I shouldn’t have told Feldmann that you could do the role when I told you I wouldn’t tell anyone. That was shitty of me.”

“Why _did_ you tell ‘em?” Ashton asks, looking down at his hands.

Since he’s not looking at him and he doesn’t know what to say, Michael studies him for a bit and decides he has no idea what he is: he has dark eyeliner, dark eyeshadow, crazy hair, and a black hat. If he’s being honest with himself, he still looks sexy. Michael shrugs, “I dunno... I was scared the play was going to go under, and-” He cuts himself off and realizes he sounds too pathetic for words so he says instead, “I put in too much fucking work in that play for Isaac to pull a stunt like that. Plus,” Now he’s rambling, “I mean, what would happen if the play is canceled? I’m too pretty for jail, Ash-”

“You were worried about the play?” Ashton interrupts, head cocked and face soft.

Michael huffs, “No, I was worried about myself. Look at my face.”

“You were worried about the play,” Ash repeats, smiling softly.

Michael feels his cheeks burn and now he’s the one looking at his knees.

They sit in silence again, so Michael listens to the party noises outside.

He’s interrupted when Ashton says, “When I was a kid, I used to really like acting. I was really good at it, too. When I was around 10, I was cast as the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz. I was so fucking pumped; I told everyone about it...” He trails off, but Michael doesn’t say a word. Eventually, he continues, “Opening night, I’m in the little curtain in the second act where I’m telling Dorothy and the dudes what I need from them, when I suddenly tripped and managed to knock over and destroy every piece of scenery.”

Michael looks up in surprise.

“Yeah, it was so stupid,” Ashton shakes his head, “I had this little Abe Lincoln head on a pole we used since we had no real effects and I dragged him down and took everything with me. Everyone was laughing and everything was ruined.” He’s laughing but there’s no happiness in it.

“That sucks, mate,” He says, because saying sorry seems dumb.

Ash sighs, “This sounds so dramatic but I haven’t acted since. But... that wasn’t any excuse to scream at you in front of everyone. I'm sorry.”

Michael waves his hand around, “Totally deserved it. I’m still the asshole here.”

“I think we both were,” Ashton chuckles, “Will you come back to rehearsals now?”

“I’m welcome back?”

“Totally, I mean, someone’s gotta help out with set design stuff now that I’m the lead,” The blonde says, totally collected but smirking like a dick while he watches the news sink in.

“No fucking way, congrats!”

“Thanks,” Ashton laughs, eyes finally lighting up.

“Yeah, I’ll help with anything, seriously, that’s so awesome, Ash. How the hell did it happen?”

“Cal, Luke, Jade, Jesy, Alex and basically everyone said that if I didn’t do it, they’d never forgive me. So, I got the part without even acting in front of ‘em,” He looks so relieved by that, it makes Michael’s stomach get... weird.

Michael playfully raises an eyebrow, “They just took your word for it?”

“ _Our_ word,” Ashton says, then more hesitantly, “So, you’re definitely welcome back.”

“That’s awesome,” Michael says and since the odd feelings in his stomach haven’t gone away, he suggests, “I have a great idea to fuck with them and get the door open.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this story is wrapping up. Don't worry, I have tons more planned.  
> If you want, check out my tumbler @nevermuke :D Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	7. To the beat of our hearts at the same time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Then why does Michael have a hickey?” Jade asks, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.
> 
> Ashton stammers as he pulls them so they’re standing and separate from each other, “Umm-”
> 
> “It was a friendship hickey,” Michael says obviously, “It’s an Australian thing.”

“First, let’s mess up your hair a bit,” Michael immediately knocks Ashton’s hat off his head and starts dragging his fingers through his hair.

“Hey!” Ashton laughs but doesn’t shove him off, “What are we doing exactly?”

“We’re going to pretend we’re having sex in here and they’ll interrupt us because they’re nosy fuckers,” Michael explains.

“Why would they come in?” He looks so confused, it’s endearing.

“Because we’re going to make it sound like we’re killing each other.”

“So wait. We’re going to pretend to be having sex and pretend that it sounds like we’re murdering each other?”

“Yes, keep up.”

Ashton gives him a look, “Just for that-” He says and then musses up Michael’s hair.

“Oh it’s on,” Michael unbuttons Ashton’s black button-down forcefully, and tries not to stare at the revealed chest.

Suddenly, Ashton leans forward and sucks a hickey into Michael’s collarbone.

When he pulls away, they both stare at each other, surprised.

Not knowing what else to do, Michael runs a finger over where it’s suddenly stinging, “Huh, nice work.”

Even though he’s blushing, Ashton says with confidence, “Don’t sound so surprised.”

+

After some awkward planning, they decide to do this as dramatically as possible.

“Oh god!” Michael shouts loudly, slamming his fist into the door.

Ashton’s smiling and looks utterly normal but sounds completely wrecked as he shouts, “FUCK!” Then, surprising them both, Ashton shoves Michael up against the door, smacking his back against the wood.

“C’mon, give it to me!” Michael smacks his flat palm on the door.

“DON’T KILL EACH OTHER” Someone desperately shouts as the closet door is suddenly flung open but Ashton was still kind of pressing Michael to the door and Michael suddenly lost his main support and so he falls backward. Since he’s an asshole and this is all Ashton’s fault, Michael clutches onto Ashton’s arm and takes him down with him.

“OH MY GOD WERE YOU GUYS MAKING OUT?” Luke shouts.

Ashton and Michael look at each other, faces almost perfectly aligned for making out and crotches were definitely perfectly aligned for grinding but that’s totally not what Michael’s thinking about. But it is and now he’s kind of hard and Ashton is still on top of him and everyone is staring at him.

“We were fighting,” He says. Ashton raises an eyebrow at him.

“Umm yeah-” Ashton immediately agrees.

“Then why does Michael have a hickey?” Jade asks, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms.

Ashton stammers as he pulls them so they’re standing and separate from each other, “Umm-”

“It was a _friendship_ hickey,” Michael says obviously, “It’s an Australian thing.”

Everyone stares at them before the party goes back to normal, seemingly believing them or just not caring enough to not. Both he and Ashton exhale in relief. “We good?” Ashton asks.

“We good. C’mon, let’s get wasted.”

+

Michael hasn’t exactly thought this through but that hasn’t stopped him before. So that’s why he’s at Ashton’s house.

Feldy cancelled Saturday rehearsals that day because he had to go visit family, and Ashton’s seemed pretty stressed and has still refused to say any of the lines in front of anyone. Calum and Luke are getting worried, but they apparently don’t even know the full story, so everyone volunteered Michael to “just fix it dammit before I cut your dick off and feed it to my cat!” (Courtesy of Perrie).

He knocks on the door, and a tiny Ashton answers. This is probably his brother.

“You must be Harry, I’m-” Michael goes to extend his hand but the kid beats him to it.

“You must be Michael.”

He can’t hide his surprised, “You know who I am?” Ashton doesn’t normally invite the other guys to his house when his family’s there because he insists they’re “bad influences”.

“Ash said Michael is his friend, and he has pink hair. You have pink hair.”

“That I do, kid.”

“Ashton likes red though.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Dye your hair red next.”

“Sure. Is your brother here?”

Harry rolls his eyes, “Yeah, he’s in his room, going over his lines.”

“Ugh, boring.”

“Wanna play FIFA? Ashton never wants to play with me.”

“That’s because he’s a loser. C’mon, I call Germany.”

+

Michael’s in the middle of getting his ass kicked (Harry is way better than he thought he’d be) when there’s a surprised sound then a “Michael? What the hell are you doing here?”

Harry pauses the game, thank god, “Mom said no swearing around me.” 

“Mom also said no FIFA until homework was finished.”

“It’s Saturday, I can do the rest of it tomorrow.”

“Ugh fine. Mike, what the _heck_ are you doing here?”

“I’m playing FIFA, what does it look like? I get that you’re blind but, mate, you’re wearing your glasses.”

Ashton _is_ wearing his glasses, along with a tank top and grey sweatpants and his hair is long and messy, like when they “made out” in the closet at Alex’s house.

He rolls his eyes, “What are you doing at my house?”

“I came here to help you run lines, but FIFA seemed like a cooler idea. Plus, your brother needs to know that you at least _know_ someone cool.”

Harry cackles as Ashton makes a face at him, “But rehearsals were cancelled.”

Michael sends a look his way, then turns to the younger brother, “We already knew you were gonna kick my arse, so I’m gonna save my dignity and annoy your brother instead.”

“Thanks for the game, Mikey!” Harry calls as Michael pulls Ashton to his room.

“You were playing FIFA with my brother?” Ashton looks so confused.

“Duh. Now come on, run lines with me.”

Ashton immediately turns ashen, “Mike-”

“You’re not _technically_ acting. You’re just...” Michael grins when the right words come to him, “Showing off how good at memorizing you are. Totally different. Plus... I won’t look at you. I dunno this shit, and so I’ll be looking at your script and prompting you. Sound good?”

Ashton looks so uncomfortable, but he probably sees the stubbornness clear on his face, “One scene.”

“Three acts.”

“Shut up.” But Ashton’s smiling shyly at him. “Now don’t look at me.”

“Whatever, drama queen,” Michael scoffs as they sit down on Ashton’s rumpled bed, Michael facing away from Ashton. “Let’s start at the beginning.”

+

At rehearsals that next week, Feldy approaches Michael and, for some reason, he gets nervous. He really shouldn’t be, because he’s finally on everyone’s good side. “Can I talk to you for a second, Clifford?”

No one is even remotely looking at them, too busy with their own shit, but he still feels judged, “Sure.”

He follows Feldy to outside the auditorium. “I need your help.”

“With what?”

“I need you to convince Irwin that he needs to start rehearsing with the others. It really provides a unity to the whole rehearsal process, and-”

Michael is suddenly confused, “Wait, why do you think he’ll listen to me?”

Feldy just raises his eyebrow, as if to say “ _are you really asking that question?_ ” and Michael doesn’t know what to say to that, other than “I’ll try.”

“Perfect, I think he’s in the changing rooms to ‘get into character’ or other actor bullshit,” Feldy claps his hand on Michael’s shoulder and goes back into the auditorium.

He wasn’t planning on that doing that right now, but no time like the present, he figures. So, in his typical fashion, he bursts into the changing room.

“So Ash, I have this wild idea-”

Michael immediately freezes and cuts himself off at the sight before him.

It’s Ashton, half-naked. Which typically wouldn’t be surprising he’s seen Ashton shirtless before.

Except he’s not shirtless.

“Oh god.” He can’t help but say. Mostly because of the pure awkwardness in the situation but also because he can see his close friend’s bulge and _wow_.

“Oh fuck,” Ashton also freezes in pulling his slacks up.

Suddenly, everything gets really fast motion and Ashton shouts, “Turn around!”

“Fuck, right, sorry!” Michael spins 180 so he’s facing away from Ashton and says, “I’ll just leave.”

“Mike-” But it’s too late, Michael nearly runs out of the changing room.


	8. Kiss Me Kiss Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You dyed your hair red.” 
> 
> “I did.” 
> 
> “That’s... my favorite color,” He says, like he’s not sure if he wants to point that out. 
> 
> “I know.”

Once again, Michael finds himself at Ashton’s house uninvited. But this time, his hair is different and his sister answers, rather than Harry. “Who are you?” She cocks her head at him.

“I’m Michael.”

“Ashy’s friend Michael?”

“Yeah.”

“Michael has pink hair.”

“Michael dyed his hair,” He says, “And now it is red.”

“Nice. I’m Lauren.”

“Hi.” He doesn’t want to be rude but he needs to talk to Ashton. “Is your brother-”

“Wow, your eyeliner is really on point,” She says, peering at him. He may or may not have preened himself after dyed his hair, “Can you show me how you did that? I’m going to my first major party and I keep fucking mine up.”

Michael looks up at the hallway to the bedrooms, then looks back at Lauren. “If you like emo eyes, I can certainly help you with that.”

+

“You just gotta go in balls out. And practice, a lot,” Michael says as he rests his elbow on Lauren’s dresser as he smoothly glides her pencil eyeliner along her eyelid, “Plus, you have awesome eyes and an awesome body so like no one’s gonna pay attention anyway-”

“So you’re straight then?” She says once his pencil is away from her eye.

Michael’s taken aback, slightly, but impressed, “Nah, I’m gay. But I appreciate your interest.”

She rolls her eyes in a way similar to Ashton and then turns to the mirror, “Damn, nice job-”

Ashton barges into the room, “Mom said I was in charge so- Michael? How the hell do you keep getting in my house?”

“I’m charming and irresistible.”

Normally, Ashton would be rolling his eyes and about to insult Michael right back but instead, he’s gone red and he turns to Lauren, “What is Michael doing in your room?”

“Don’t worry, he’s not interested in _me_ ,” She emphasizes, oddly enough, “He was helping me with my eyeliner. I’m going to a party and was hella struggling.”

“Happy to help,” Michael says.

“Okay, I’m gonna get going. Since Mom’s out and Harry’s at a sleepover, I guess you guys are _home alone_ so don’t... break shit. If you do, wear protection. Bye, Michael, thanks again!” Lauren books it out of the room.

“Oh god,” Ashton just leaves the doorway and goes back to his room.

Michael’s not sure if that involves him or not, so he knocks on the doorframe, since the door is open. “See, I know how to knock.” 

He tries not to laugh at the sight in front of him: Ashton flopped facedown on his bed, legs hanging off the edge.

“The door was open this time.” Ashton says, muffled from the blankets.

“I’m learning...” Michael says then sits down next to him, “I’m sorry I walked in on you.”

Ashton moves so he’s flopped over face up, “I feel like I should apologize for something for this case, but I can’t think of what.”

_For having a dick so big I couldn’t stop staring at it_ , Michael thinks but doesn’t say. “I keep fucking up when it comes to you, don’t I?” Since he’s actually talking about emotions, Michael looks away.

“I think it’s been mutual,” Ashton chuckles dryly, then he seems to look up at him and finally notice. “You dyed your hair red.”

“I did.”

“That’s... my favorite color,” He says, like he’s not sure if he wants to point that out.

“I know.”

Ashton opens his mouth to say something but then just closes it.

Taking a deep breath, Michael says, “Dude, you gotta start rehearsing in front of the others. I mean, _I_ know you’re a fantastic actor, but you need to prove it to the others. Especially since, y’know, you’ll have to do it in front of dozens of people- and that is so not helping.” He realizes mid-thought that Ashton has completely frozen. Luckily, he’s not turning colors this time.

“‘Right about that,” Ashton says, voice tight.

Michael cups Ashton’s face in his hands and forces eye contact, “Ash, listen to me. You are an amazing actor. I’ve heard you, and I may not know that much about this shit but you just seem so real whenever you say the lines and I completely believe that you’re the Stage Manager. You can do this. You won’t fuck this up, and you won’t destroy the set. I have 100% belief in you that you will-”

He’s cut off by Ashton moving forward and slanting their lips together.

Michael immediately responds, kissing him back because wow why weren’t they doing this before?

Ashton’s long-ass fingers are tangled in his hair and Michael’s still cupping his face in his hands and their lips are slanted and Michael hadn’t let himself know how much he wanted this to happen and now that it is, he never wants it to stop.

Of course, that’s when Ashton stops.

He pulls away, “Okay, what was that?”

“Kissing. Has that made it to the States because-”

“Can you not be a smartass for a second?”

He says this so softly and nervously that Michael can’t help but nod seriously. “Right, yeah, okay.”

They both take a deep breath and scoot away from each other, like maybe that’ll make things clearer. “Whatever just happened... I liked it,” Michael says, trying to stare anywhere but Ashton’s face and specifically his lips.

“Really?”

He licks his own lips, “Yeah.”

“That’s good.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I liked it. And...” He trails off for a second then their eyes lock in a way that’d be ridiculous to Michael if he wasn’t experiencing it in that very moment. “I like you. A lot.”

“I like you too.”

“A lot?” Ashton asks, playfully serious with a glint in his eye.

“Shut the fuck up.”

“Make me-” Ashton starts to challenge.

So he does.

+

The next day, just for the theatrics, they pretend nothing has changed the entire day. Calum, Luke, Jesy, Jade, and practically every other theater kid (or “theater dork” as Michael has learned they like to be called).

But, as soon as rehearsals are about to start, Michael goes to where Ashton is sitting on the stage with a script in his hand and hair falling in his face as he reads and Michael decides that now is a good time to break the news to everyone.

So, he decides to straddle his boyfriend’s hips and kiss him in front of everyone. He can almost taste the surprise on Ashton’s lips, but eventually he smiles against him and kisses him back, to the cheers of all their friends.

“Fucking finally,” Calum says as they pull apart, “But you couldn’t have waited until opening night? That was my date for the bet.”

Ashton freezes, “The bet?”

“Oh yeah,” Feldy says from the soundboard, “We all chipped in $5.”

“Oh god.” Ashton says to himself and hides his face into Michael’s neck. Michael snickers.

“I won!” Jade jumps up and down excitedly.

“ _Oh god_.” Ashton says again.

“Ok, the couple is officially together, let’s get back to work, we have a play coming up!” Feldy says into the working mics and everyone cheers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this sucks and sorry for the late update, I've been moving into my freshman year of college. EEP. Smut coming up!


	9. All you gotta do is tell me right now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sexy times finally happen.

“I’m so nervous,” Ash keeps pacing. And, as much as Michael adores him, he’s getting pretty sick of his mantras of “I’m nervous” and “Oh god oh god oh god oh god” and “I’m going to fail” and “Kill me.”

Since Michael is his boyfriend now, he was made honorary Calm-Ashton-the-Fuck-Down Captain by Calum (who went from being calm and laid back to a total hardass as soon as they hit tech week) and Feldy, and it isn’t going well. He hoped if he just didn’t feed any of his fears they’d just go away. But they seem to be multiplying, especially as they near the last half hour before the show.

“He’s going to sweat his makeup off,” Jade complains, then suddenly freezes, “Oh god, he’s going to sweat through his costume!”

Ashton’s costume is one of those three-piece-suit things: a white dress shirt, one of those dapper vests in grey that brings out Ashton’s chest (and makes Michael’s pants tight, and charcoal slacks that make his thighs look amazing. It wasn’t supposed to be grey, but he was too fucking broad for the tan vest Emmett was supposed to wear and these fit him much better and “compliment his form” as Jade and Perrie like to say.

He’s already been through makeup and costume (minus the tie because he kept yanking on it to breathe and they all just decided to put it on him last minute), but Jesy’s doing Jade’s hair and it’s being uncooperative.

With a curling iron in her hair, Jade flails her free hand, “Ashton! Shirt off, now!”

 _Hey that’s a good idea_ \- Michael muses when Ashton starts hyperventilating. “That’s it.” He grabs him by the wrist and pulls him into a secluded corridor away from all the play’s spectators and the all the cast/crew. Catcalls follow them as they leave, but Michael can’t bother to give them more than a middle finger tossed behind him as they rush. 

(“Be back with him in one piece or I will gut you with a machete!” also follows them, but that’s just Calum.)

Once they’re in the clear, he shoves his boyfriend against the wall, just on the right side of gentle. With the shorter boy caged and practically at his mercy, Michael has to resist the urge to bite at least two hickeys into Ashton’s neck and collarbone, already hearing the twenty people who will probably yell at him for “damaging the star”.

“Oh thank god, you’re killing me,” Ashton says, voice still tight but no longer dangerously breathless.

“Not quite, babe,” Michael smirks and sinks to his knees, fingers quickly undoing Ashton’s slacks and pulling them down so nothing unseemly gets on them for Jade’s sake.

“Mike-” Ashton groans already and Michael hasn’t even done anything. That makes him feel powerful so he mouths at the cloth covering his cock before pulling the boxers down since Ash will have to wear them for the rest of the show.

Ashton’s cock will always be one of his favorite sights. Especially since this time it’s intentional.

“Are-are you sure?” Ashton checks because he’s such a goddamn gentleman it makes his heart hurt, “I mean we haven’t even really-”

“Shut up.” Michael says, just the right mix of sweet and salty. Looking up at his boyfriend’s worried face, he sighs, “I want to do this for you. Promise. Unless you don’t want me to-”

“Please,” He nearly begs, hips canting up a bit. Just because, Michael presses a hand so they’re splayed across Ash’s left hip. 

“Shh, we don’t want to get caught.” And with that, Michael uses his free hand to guide the first couple inches of his boyfriend’s cock down his throat. 

“Oh fuck-” Ashton’s about to continue but Michael pulls off completely, causing him to whine instead.

“Do you want people to catch us?” Michael berates but it comes out fond because he can’t help it. “Stick your huge-ass fingers in your mouth or somethin’ if you want this to work.”

To his surprise, Ash immediately sticks two fingers in his mouth and looks pleadingly at him. Fuck, Ashton’s gonna kill him.

Repaying him for listening, Michael immediately takes him down again, deeper than before, causing Ash to choke on his fingers with a groan. In turn, this makes Michael take him deeper, moaning around the length that’s thick and heavy in his mouth.

So much of Michael wants to dirty talk, mostly about how Ashton’s literally gagging for it, but he also really wants to suck his dick. So he chooses the latter. He sucks and licks and takes as much as he can as deep as he can, with Ashton tangling his fingers in his deep red hair.

Keeping Ashton against the wall, Michael jerks whatever’s not in his mouth with his free hand.

“Myfwal, ‘m clowsh.” Ashton mumbles through his fingers because it hasn’t even occurred to him to remove them and that makes Michael’s dick twitch in his jeans.

Not wanting to pull off completely to tell him to cum and also not wanting him to make a mess all over his face since they’re still in public, he deep-throats him and stays down, licking what he can.

With a choked-off moan, Ashton comes deep in his throat, causing Michael to gag a bit but he can deal.

After making sure all the cum was definitely not on his face or on his all-black outfit, which may or may not have resulted in Michael sucking just a bit harder on Ashton’s softening cock, he pulls off. 

A bit hoarse because he goes a bit too hard when he gives blowjobs, he says “C’mon, you need to get going.” 

Since Ashton seems all languid, finally, Michael has to literally pull up his pants for him for him to get the hint, causing his boyfriend to blush and hit his hands away so he can do it himself.

Michael finally stands and checks his lips with the back of his hand, and he’s clean enough. Just because he can tell Ash is staring at his lips, he purposefully licks off the rest, “You feeling a bit better now?”

“Whoa” is all Ashton says, but he’s smiling. Until he looks down at Michael’s crotch. Michael does the same. You can’t really tell it’s hard, but he knows. Ashton immediately looks guilty as hell, and not in the fun way, “Shit, do you need me to-”

“Nah, you already have to go to hair and stuff.” As if on cue, Jade shouts, “ASHTON FLETCHER IRWIN GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE.”

Michael laughs a bit, even though he wants nothing more than Ashton to reciprocate, “I’ll just think about unsexy things.”

“You will get the best damn blowjob of your life after the show.”

“That doesn’t help, you fucker.”

Ashton smirks lazily and kisses him, “Wish me luck.”

“Break a leg.”

“Theater dork.” Ashton grins and jogs back to where the actors have to prepare. 

Michael goes to fight him on it, then shrugs as he follows.

He’s not wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for taking forever, but the last chapter is coming up soon! Hope you guys have enjoyed the story:D


	10. Give Me the Greenlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Michael cannot believe how completely exhilarated yet completely dead tired he feels at once but it’s making him dizzy. The cast is doing their final bow for their final performance and the show has been a massive hit with rave reviews and packed theaters at every show.

He’s drenched in sweat from constantly moving props and sets and standing in the crowded backstage and wearing nothing but all long-sleeved black because Luke says his pale-as-fuck skin is blinding to the audience and Michael doesn’t want to fuck up the show.

Behind the scenes, there have been minor issues over the past week, like people (Ashton) getting covered in hickeys (whoops how did _that_ happen), costumes getting torn, and some stuff with the microphones but overall nothing too bad.

For the sixth time, the cast does its final bow on stage, directing applause to the crew, directors and sound. Even though Michael has no reason to, he blushes whenever Ashton specifically points him out backstage. Luckily, he can hide his flushed cheeks under his sweat because his severe lack of workouts ever did nothing to help him for all the lifting and carrying and running around he’d have to do for the past week.

Fortunately, and unfortunately, it’s the last time he’ll be doing this.

The cast runs back stage and the house lights go up (those are the lights that go up over the audience, he pays attention.) He can vaguely see people start to pile out the theater when he’s barreled over by Luke.

“WE DID IT!!” He shouts in his ear.

“We did, mate,” Michael hugs him back. “Awesome sound.”

“Awesome paint. I heard so many people say how amazing the sets looked.”

Luke pulls away and goes and hugs the next available person and suddenly someone’s arms are wrapped around him from behind. Michael would normally tense, but so many people have been touching him over the past week (and the past few months now that he thinks about it) that he’s now normalized to touch.

“Hey babe,” Ashton’s lips are right behind his ear so Michael leans his head back.

“Amazing job out there,” Michael says in the midst of the chaos.

“Same to you. I can’t wait for tonight...” Ashton moves his hands so they hover just over his waistline.

“You fucking tease-”

“CONGRATULATIONS OUR BIG STAR!!” Anne Marie says, suddenly appearing from beside them. Ashton and Michael jump apart.

“Hi Mom,” Ashton says, with his bashful blush that lights up his cheeks. “Let’s keep it down-”

Probably just because he said that, Anne Marie bring him in for a big hug and kisses his cheeks and makes a big deal while Michael looks on and Lauren and Harry roll their eyes.

Then, Michael’s pulled away by his own mom, who tells him how amazing he was.

“I’m like 99% sure you couldn’t see me.”

“That’s what made you so amazing!” She has unironic tears in her eyes and she hugs him tightly.

“ _Mum_.”

“I’m so proud of you,” She says in his ear and his body gets all red again. 

“Thanks.” He says, embarrassed, as she pulls away.

After their moms gush over the both of them together, they tell them to have fun at the party tonight and not to drive if they’re drinking and leave them to celebrate.

“Party?” Michael asks Ashton once they’re finally alone again.

“We didn’t tell you? After we strike the set, Feldy throws a massive party and we all get trashed at his place and have an epic sleepover. It’s the best night of the year,” Ashton says, bouncing a bit.

“An epic sleepover, hmm?” Michael spins so they’re facing and pulls his boyfriend close by his hips. “Bet I know a way to make it more epic.” He says this while he moves their lips closer.

Ashton licks at his own lips, “Stealing Feldy’s microwave?”

Michael pulls away and raises an eyebrow, “That something you do often?”

He laughs, “May be a bit of a tradition,” He shrugs and pulls Michael closer again, “But I’m more interested in hearing-”

“Stop making out, you horny bastards, we have to strike the set,” Calum says, pulling them apart. He looks as tired as Michael feels, minus the horny energy.

Feldy grabs one of the remaining mics from an actor who hasn’t gotten de-packed and says, “Actually, I think we all just want to party and unwind, so we can strike tomorrow once we’re all... recovered,” He says knowingly.

And, again, all of them cheer.

+

Michael’s still sipping on his first beer. He’s not sure where this night with Ashton will go, and all he knows for sure is that he wants to be sober.

Ashton’s off mingling with Jade, drinking from a water bottle, and talking about something he can’t hear.

Suddenly, there’s an eruption of cheering coming from the kitchen and Michael looks over. Calum, now not wearing a shirt, is struggling to carry a giant microwave.

Ashton whoops and cheers, as do others, as Calum lifts it over his head.

“VICTORY IS MINE!”

“Goddamn it, Hood, put that back!” Feldy shouts, standing on the upstairs balcony with Alex.

“Never!” Calum books it.

“Jesus Christ,” Jesy shakes her head, laughing and sipping one of those pretty drinks girls are always drinking.

Jade goes off so Michael goes over to his boyfriend and says, “Wanna find a bedroom?” Ashton’s eyes go wide so he immediately backtracks, “Wow, that was so fuckin’ forward I’m so sorry-”

“Yeah.”

“I am the worst- Wait what?"

“ _Yes_.” 

“Oh.” Michael pauses this time, “Really?”

“ _Yeah_ , come on.”

+

Next thing Michael knows Ashton’s got him up against the wall, kissing down his lips to his jaw to his neck.

“Been wanting this for so long,” Ashton says as he marks Michael with a hickey, “Practically since you were a total dick to me on the first day.”

Michael can’t help but channel that same day as he smirks as Ashton tries to yank his shirt off. “That turn you on?”

“I didn’t know whether to punch or kiss you,” Ashton admits, flushed, suddenly freezing in his movements at the admittance. “Or fuck you.” He says breathlessly.

Michael licks his lips and takes his own shirt off and works on Ashton’s, nearly ripping the buttons off but he’s still not convinced the shirt isn’t on loan from the costume department.

“You looked so fucking hot that day,” Michael manages to slide the sleeves off Ashton’s massive arms that remind him of the first day. “Your stupid amazing arms and hair and eyes and stubble like god-”

Ashton whimpers. Honest to god whimpers and Michael goes to undo his boyfriend’s pants, about to sink to his knees when Ashton holds him up.

“It’s your turn,” Ashton says and yanks Michael’s pants down. “Y-you want this right?” He asks as he kneels in front of Michael.

“Yes,” Michael nods so hard he smacks his head into the wall.

Ashton laughs. “Fucking idiot, are you alright?”

“No, but a blowjob would fix it.”

“So cheeky,” Ashton mocks Michael’s accent (even though Michael’s like 95% he’s never said that word) but Michael’s too horny to care so he just tangles his fingers in his boyfriend’s curls as Ashton pulls down his underwear and wraps his lips around the tip of his cock.

“Oh fuck me.” Michael groans, both at the sudden lips on his dick but also at the odd throbbing at the back of his head but he can ignore that.

Ashton pulls off, a sinister look on his face, “Patience.”

Michael snorts, “Back to business, blondie.” He gently tugs Ashton closer.

“Sure thing, Ginger.” Ashton goes right into deepthroating Michael’s dick and Michael moans because, fuck, he loves his boyfriend’s lack of gag reflex.

“God, Ash, your mouth is fuckin’ amazing,” Michael lets his eyes fall closed at all the sensations (Ashton’s lips and tongue and throat are a deadly combination) but he can feel him moan around him more as he starts bobbing his head to the stifled beat of the dance music from below.

Michael can feel himself getting close as he breathing starts becoming uneven, “Wait, stop I don’t want to come yet!”

Ashton pulls back, also a bit out of breath. “Yeah, good call.”

Michael rolls his eyes, “Get up here.” And with that he pulls his boyfriend up and kisses him hard, meanwhile gently guiding them to the bed backwards with his pants around his ankles. (Fuck yeah.)

With his own hands propping him on top of Ashton and Ashton’s hands in his hair, everything feels really fucking right.

Except for one thing that suddenly pops into his head.

He pulls off, “Shit.” 

Ashton panics, “What?”

“Oh god, don’t worry, just have to lock the door.”

Ashton laughs, relieved, “Good idea.” 

“Stay right there.”

“Like I was going to move.”

And with that, Michael kicks off his jeans and goes to the door. When he turns back, Ashton is lazily stroking himself.

Michael nearly chokes on nothing so he scrambles to go back to his boyfriend, meanwhile grabbing his wallet.

“What’d you grab that for?” Ashton asks as Michael settles himself back on top of him.

Sheepishly, he pulls out a packet of lube and a condom, “These. Hope that’s al-”

Ashton nods quickly, interrupting him. “God yes. Fuck me- fuck me please.”

 _Jesus_ , Ashton’s gonna kill him.

Michael pulls down Ashton’s trousers and pants then lubes two fingers. “You ready?”

“Yes, fucking just-”

And with that Michael inserts a finger (slowly, since he doesn’t want Ashton to get hurt, but still wants to get on with it.) Ashton lets out a choked moan as Michael takes this 100% seriously, seeing how his boyfriend is reacting to every movement inside of him.

Eventually, Ashton says, “Another” and Michael eases in another finger, and eventually after that he gets more lube and adds a third finger.

“I-I’m ready, Michael,” Ashton squirms a bit, hips arching off the bed for more.

Michael slowly eases his fingers out of Ashton and preps himself by jerking himself off a bit and rolling on the condom (even though he was plenty hard.)

He adds more lube because he never wants Ashton hurt ever and uses his hand to guide himself in Ashton slowly.

Once he reaches past halfway, he can feel Ashton squirm with impatience again, “I’m not going to break, fuck me already-”

And since he’s almost in anyway, Michael pushes the rest of his cock in roughly then pulls out only to fuck back in just as harsh.

Ashton kicks his head back with a gasp, “Holy _fuck_ Michael-”

“You’re really. Goddamn. Impatient.” Michael teasingly emphasizes with a thrust for each word, “‘D you know that?” He holds himself deep in his boyfriend.

“Fuck” is all Ashton can seem to say at the moment, so Michael keeps going.

And, God, the sounds he makes as he fucks him, are driving Michael closer and closer to the edge. Ashton fucking _whimpers_. His massive, broad boyfriend who could probably snap his pale ass like a twig _whimpers_ when Michael bites a hickey into his neck (no show to compromise) as he fucks him.

Before he knows it, Michael’s close, and he’s about to warn Ashton but Ashton’s already moaning again and saying how close he is to coming on his dick so Michael can’t help but beg Ashton to “touch himself, baby, come on.”

With a loud groan, hopefully covered up by the house music, Ashton quickly jerks himself off then comes over his hand and chest. With that sight in mind, Michael comes inside of the condom and nearly collapses on top of Ashton, but instead nicely pulls out and falls next to him instead.

“Jesus.” Ashton laughs. “That was awesome.”

“‘That was awesome’?” Michael’s partially offended but jokingly playing it up as he ties up the condom and tosses it in a bin. “We have sex for the first time and that’s all you have to say about it?”

“That was really, fucking awesome,” Ashton says, out of breath. “Wow, that really was amazing.”

Michael turns so he’s on his side and kisses Ashton’s cheek adorably, “Slightly better.”

“You’re such a bad boy sex god.”

Michael giggles against Ashton’s face, “Oh god, more.”

Ashton grins and they just kind of sit in the glow for a moment. Then he says, “Can you believe this all started because you tagged the theater?”

Michael leans over Ashton and grabs him a handful of tissues to clean himself up with, “Thank god for vandalism, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER I AM SO BAD AT WRITING SMUT BUT I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED THIS STORY THANK YOU FOR READING LOVE YOU

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


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